1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a channel equalizing apparatus for a digital television receiver that performs channel equalization using an equalizing algorithm.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, communication is performed in such a manner that a transmitting end modulates a signal and transmits the modulated signal, and a receiving end receives and demodulates the transmitted signal to the original signal. During the communication, however, a signal distortion may be produced due to elements such as amplifiers, filters, etc., installed in the transmitting end and the receiving end or various factors of communication paths. Accordingly, an incomplete signal is received in the receiving end, and this makes it difficult for the receiving end to restore to the original signal.
Also, the characteristic of the signal distortion varies with the lapse of time, and it is more difficult for the receiving end to restore to the original signal. Accordingly, the receiving end uses an adaptive channel equalizer in order to restore to the original signal by compensating for the distortion.
The adaptive channel equalizer is divided into a blind equalizer and a non-blind equalizer.
The non-blind equalizer periodically inserts a training signal sequence into a transmitted signal sequence and performs channel equalization using this training signal sequence. Meanwhile, the blind equalizer performs the channel equalization by its own efforts only by the received signal without any help of the training signal sequence.
Since the non-blind equalizer performs the channel equalization with the training signal sequence that is the same as the signal transmitted from the transmitting end, the equalizer can rapidly converge, and has a superior convergence characteristic. However, it should periodically provide the training signal sequence, and this causes the transmission efficiency to deteriorate.
Meanwhile, the blind equalizer is briefly classified into a reduced constellation algorithm (RCA) and a constant modulus algorithm (CMA).
A representative of the reduced constellation algorithm is a Sato algorithm. This algorithm has the advantages in that it can be easily implemented and well converges in an environment where the signal distortion is not severe, but it has a great residual error after the convergence. Also, this algorithm has the disadvantages in that it cannot converge well or may converge on a wrong point in the environment where the signal distortion is great.
Meanwhile, a representative of the constant modulus algorithm is a Gordard algorithm. This algorithm has a good convergence characteristic and scarcely converges on a wrong point. Also, even if a frequency phase difference is produced, it can perform the channel equalization. However, it also has a great residual error like the reduced constellation algorithm and its implementation is complicated.
As described above, since the blind equalizer does not require the training signal sequence, its transmission efficiency is good, but it takes a lot of time for the equalizer to converge, and its convergence characteristic is not good. Accordingly, the blind equalizer normally sets a threshold value, and performs updating of a tap coefficient by a blind equalizing method before reaching the threshold value. After reaching the threshold value, it performs the updating of the tap coefficient by changing the blind equalizing method to the decision directed equalizing method, and thus the convergence characteristic is improved.
However, it is not easy to set the threshold value by the above-described methods.
Also, in order to change the blind equalizing method to the decision directed equalizing method when the equalizer reaches the threshold value, a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) calculator, adder, counter, etc., are required. Also, since all calculations should be performed using the distorted signal inputted to the equalizer, the probability of incorrect resultant values becomes high as the signal distortion becomes severe, and thus the convergence characteristic of the equalizer is not good.